Digit protector



Jan. 18, 1966 w, sg o 3,229,690

DIGI'I PROTECTOR Filed July 31, 1962 I I n 'm. In

I I j 1 ji a v--aa 14! 9 fig .5 4

INVENTOR.

Mat am N Jcfo/Z United States Patent 3,229,690 DIGlT PROTECTOR WilliamM. Scholl, 211-213 W. Schiller St., Chicago 10, Ill. Filed July 31,1962, Ser. No. 213,632 3 Claims. (Cl. 128-153) This invention relates toimprovements in a digit protector, the invention being highly desirablefor use as a toe protector in treating corns or callous tissue formingon the end or sides of the toe, injuries or soreness adjacent the endsof the toes, ingrown nails, and other similar afllictions, although theinvention may equally as well be used upon the tip of a finger and forother purposes, as will be apparent to one skilled in the art.

While numerous types of digit protectors have been provided in the past,when they were made in the form of stalls or cots and of soft cushioningmaterial, they frequently were objectionably bulky and difilcult toproperly position and maintain the proper position on intermediate toesor fingers. Furthermore, devices of this character as made heretoforehave not been satisfactorily soft and light in weight, and have alwaysbeen objectionably expensive to produce both as to the cost of material,and labor involved in production.

With the foregoing in mind, it is an important object of this inventionto provide a digit protector that is extremely comfortable to use yetmay be produced more economically than was possible heretofore.

Also an object of this invention is the provision of a digit protectormade of a soft cushioning type material and which when placed upon anydigit does not present a feeling of bulkiness to the user.

Also an object of this invention is the provision of an extremely softand light in weight digit protector which may be made of one or twopieces of cushioning material secured together around the bounding edgesave for the open end.

It is also a desideratum of this invention to provide a simple form ofcushioning digit protector which need only comprise two layers of asynthetic resinous foam heat sealed together by a fused seam definingthe bounding edge of the resultant device save for the open end thereof.

Still another object of this invention is the provision of a simple formof cushioning digit protector made from a single folded piece ofmaterial with the part away from the fold line joined by a heat sealseam partially defining the bounding edge of the resultant digitprotector.

While some of the more salient features, characteristics and advantagesof the instant invention have been above pointed out, others will becomeapparent from the following disclosures, taken in conjunction with theaccompanying drawing, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary diagrammatic perspective view of a human footshowing a digit protector embodying principles of the instant inventionin operative position thereon;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged central vertical cross-sectional view throughthe digit protector itself;

FIGURE 3 is a view similar in character to FIGURE 2 but showing aslightly different form of construction;

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary part elevational part sectional view, greatlyenlarged, illustrating a step in the process of making the instantinvention;

FIGURE 5 is a somewhat diagrammatic plan view further illustrating theprocess of making the device;

FIGURE 6 is a plan view similar in character to FIG- URE 5, butillustrating a different process of making a device embodying principlesof the instant invention; and

FIGURE 7 is a transverse sectional view through the Patented Jan. 18,1966 finished device itself taken substantially as indicated by the lineVII-VII of FIGURE 6.

As shown on the drawings:

In FIGURE 1 I have illustrated an embodiment of the instant invention,generally indicated by numeral 1, in operative position upon the secondtoe 2 of a human foot 3. In placing the device upon the toe, it issimply necessary to slip it easily over the end of the toe. No securingmeans are necessary since the material from which the device ispreferably made is soft and clinging to the skin of the user in a highlycomfortable manner, but also in a manner that tends to discouragemisplacement or movement of the device relatively to the skin of theuser.

The material from which the protector is preferably made is a syntheticresin foam capable of being electronically heat sealed. For thispurpose, vinyl, polyurethane, polyester, isocyanate and similar foamsare satisfactory. Such material is soft, durable, and extremelycomfortable without giving a feeling of bulk when in use. Furthermore,the foam is preferably of the type having intercommunicating cells so asto be ventilative and vapor porous.

With reference more particularly to FIGURE 2, it will be seen that theprotector is in the form of a cot or stall and need only comprise twolayers 4 and 5 of the foam cushioning material, both layers beingpreferably identical in size, thickness, and density, although if forany special reasons it might be desired, these properties could bevaried. The layers are joined together by a heat seal seam 6, preferablya fine line heat seal seam, which defines the bounding edge of theprotector, except for the open end 7 thereof. It will be noted that theprotector does not have substantially a cylindrical shape with a bluntend closure, or of a slightly conical shape with a relatively blunt endclosure, as has been common in the past. On the other hand, the instantdevice is preferably of substantially cuneiform overall shape with thelayers 4 and 5 diverging rearwardly from a substantially transverse lineat the heat seal seam 6 forming the outer end closure. When applied theprotector shapes itself to the particular digit but because of itsinitial cuneiform shape, there is no excess of material at the distalend of the digit to which the device is applied.

The protector is simply and economically manufactured, with the aid ofelectronic heat seal means which may be in the form of a suitableelectronic heat sealing press having dies therein and a source of highfrequency current to be momentarily passed through the dies at eachoperation. such equipment being well known in the art.

With reference to FIGURE 4, it will be seen that a lower die in the formof a flat upper faced member 8 may be utilized upon which is preferablydisposed a dielectric buffer sheet 9. On the buffer sheet the foamlayers 4 and 5 are placed in superposed relationship. With the sheets sopositioned adjacent the edge of the die 8 and dielectric sheet 9 as seenbest in FIGURE 5, an upper die comprising a base 10 and a U-shaped dieelement 11 depending therefrom with a knife edge 12 on the lower end ofthe die element, is brought down under pressure upon the sheets and amomentary charge of ultra high frequency current passed through the diesand the sheets, thus fusing the sheets together into a fine line heatseal seam as indicated at 6. At the same time the heat seal seam isformed a tear line is established on the outside of the seam by means ofwhich the waste stock may readily be removed from around each protector.As indicated in FIGURE 5, multiple dies might be utilized so that aplurality of protectors are formed at each operation. With the dieelement 11 U-shaped to form the seam 6 as outlined in FIGURE 5, the twolayers are not fusedly joined together at the open end edges of thelayers which are separated at least slightly because of the seam anddcfine an opening into a digit-receiving pocket of the resultant digitprotector.

It will be at once understood that the method is extremely economical,embodying little labor, and not only connecting the parts, defining theobject, and providing a tear line for removal of the object from wastematerial in a single operation.

Should it be desired to wear the protector in an exposed position, suchas in a sandal or open toed shoe, or upon the hand without any othercovering, it may be desirable to provide a thin, covering overthe deviceto increase its wearing ,qualities. To this endI have illustrated inFIG- URE 3 a protector embodying the same foam layers 4 and 5, but ontop of the foam layer 4 is a covering 13 which may satisfactorily be inthe form of a thin vinyl or acetate film, or a film made ofequivalentmaterial that is responsive to electronic heat sealing. A similar film14 is disposed beneath the lower foam layer 5. The sheets and films-maybe stacked in that particular order upon the dielectric buffer 9, thesame dies utilized in the manner above described, and a heat sealseam-6a will be established which unites not only the two foam layers 4and 5 as above described but also the films 13 and 14. At the sametime,;a tear line will be established for the ready removal of the wastestock. The resultant protector as seen in' FIGURE 3 will be of the sameshape as the one previously described, but it will be sheathed by thefilm layers 13 and 14 With-all four layers joined at the heat seal seam6a so there can be no maladjustment of parts occur. The device isutilizedin the same way as the one previously described, and the films13 and 14 may be initially supplied with a plurality of perforations asindicated at 15 to preserve the ventilative and vapor porous propertiesof the protector.

In FIGURES 6 and 7 I have illustrated another simple embodiment of theinstant invention, wherein the digit protector is made of a single pieceof material generally indicated by numeral 16. This single piece ofmaterial is folded as at 17 to provide overlying layers 18 and 19. Theselayers are then joined by a heat seal seam 20 curving away from the lineof fold 17 to form an arcuate closed end for the protect-or, and thenparalleling-the line of fold to the edge of the sheet as clearly seen inFIGURE 6, providing a protector of the same general shape as abovedescribed when the protector is completed. It will be noted from theshowing in FIGURE 7 that the protector is generally cuneiform in shape,the only difference is that the heat seal seam partially defines thebounding edge of the protector, while-theline of told 17 defines theremainder of the bounding edge. In this instance, of course, the diewould have a working edge shaped in accordance with the seam 20 as seenin FIGURE 6.

From the foregoing, it is apparent that I have provided a highlyeconomical form of digit protector which is soft, light in weight,cushioning, and is extremely oomfortable taking up less room underanother article of apparel when applied to the end of a digit. Moreover,

the device may be made by a simple, quick, and highly economical method.

It will be understood that modifications and variations may be effectedwithout departing from the scope of the novel concepts of the presentinvention.

I claim as my invention:

1. A digit protector for selective slip-on application over the end ofan individual digit, consisting of a pair of thermoplastic foam layerssuperposed throughout their confronting faces, and

a U-shaped heat seal seam joining said layers inwardly from unsecuredend edges of said layers which are separated slightly because of saidseam and define an opening into a digit-receiving pocket, and

said seam being in the transverse median plane of the protector.

2. A digit protector for selective slip-on application over the end ofan individual digit, comprising a pair of thermoplastic foam layersthroughout their confronting faces,

a pair Of.'SI1'lOOIh perforated thermoplastic cover films thinner thansaid layers and disposed above and below said layers, and

a U-shaped heat seal seam joining said layers and films inwardly fromunsecured end edges of the same and which end edges define an openinginto a digit-receiving pocket,

said seam being in the transverse median plane of the protector, and

said seam and the unsecured end edges between the ends of the seamconjointly defining the bounding edge of the protector.

'3. A digit protector for selective slip-on application over the end ofan individual digit, consisting of a sheet of thermoplastic foam foldedto provide superposed layers,

a heat seal seam joining said layers and extending curvately from theline of fold and then paralleling said fold to a point spaced from thefold along a pair of unsecured edges of said layers,

said fold, seam, and unsecured edges therebetween defining the boundingedge of the protector and affording a digit-receiving pocket openingbetween said unsealed edges, and

said seam and fold being in the transverse median plane of theprotector.

superposed References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS1,066,556 7/ 1913 Tueckmantel l2'8-157 1,853,016 4/1932 DeLaney 156-2511,974,203 9/ 1934 Collins 15625 1 2,653,601 9/ 1953 Morrison 128-2602,904,814 9/ 1959 Scholl 12'8-153 X 3,036,571 5/1962 Scholl 128l533,149,017 9/ 1964 Enrreich et al. 156-251 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,118,7936/1956 France.

364,679 1/1932 Great Britain.

740,659 11/1953 Great Britain.

RICHARD A. GAUDET, Primary Examiner.

RICHARD J. HOFFMAN, Examiner.

1. A DIGIT PROTECTOR FOR SELECTIVE SLIP-ON APPLICATION OVER THE END OFAN INDIVIDUAL DIGIT, CONSISTING OF A PAIR OF THERMOPLASTIC FOAM LAYERSSUPERPOSED THROUGHOUT THEIR CONFRONTING FACES, AND A U-SHAPED HEAT SEALSEAM JOINING SAID LAYERS INWARDLY FROM UNSECURED ENDS EDGES OF SAIDLAYERS WHICH ARE SEPARATED SLIGHTLY BECAUSE OF SAID SEAM AND DEFINE AN